Drying mechanism and the like



May 18 1926.

5. GERTZ DRY ING MECHANISM AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 26. 1922 INVENTOR.5am 2162 G'erlf;

i A TTORNE Y siren stares htihtfiti @FFEQ.

SAMUEL GEETZ, OF CLEVELAND, 0510, SSIGNOR TO THE C. O. BARTLETT & SNOWCOMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CGR-PORATION OF OHIO.

DRYING MECHANISM AND THE LIKE.

Application filed October 26, 182-2. Serial No. 597,150.

lhe present improvements, relating as indicated to drying mechanism,have more particular regard to so-called rotary cylinder driers, but areequally applicable to kilns or retorts of such rotary cylinder type. Indriers of the type in question, the rotary cvlinder is usually supportedat a slight incline in a furnace chamber, the gases from the furnacecoming into contact only with the outside of the cylinder and the vaporsor gases evolved inside the cylinder belng withdrawn through an openingat either end of the latter. A serious difliculty, however, arises inthe-operation of such a drier where finely coinminuted or powderedmaterials are being treated due to the dust created by the passage ofthe vapors or gases through the cylinder in the usual longitudinaldirection. The velocity of such current, at least at certain points inthe cylinder, becomes suthcient to carry off a measurable quantity ofthe material, which must be recovered, if erious loss is to be avoided,quite aside from the nuisance which such dust constitutes. A similarsituation is of course presented where avapor of any hind or a is givenoff from the material being treated in a rotary cylindrical kiln orretort and such vapor or gas requires to be educted.

The object of the present invention, accordingly, is the provision ofmeans for use in such rotary cylinder driers, kilns or retorts, wherebypart or all of the moisture or other vapors or gases, given off from thematerial being treated, may be withdrawn transversely of the cylinderinstead oi in the usual longitudinal direction, thus avoiding thecreation in any part or the cylinder of a current of such velocity anddirection as will carry with it dust from the material. Another objectis to provide for the regulation of the rate of withdrawal to suit theneeds of a particular operation.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention,then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described andparticularlypointed out in the claims, the annexed drawing and thefollowing description setting forth in detail certain mechanismembodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but

one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the inventionmay be used.

In said annexed drawing a Fig. 1 is a longitudinal central section of arotary cylinder drier wherein my present improvements have beenincorporated; Fig. 2 isa transverse section of the drier cylinder at apoint intermediate of its ends; Fig. 3 is a transverse section, on alarger scale, of a duct within such drier cylinder that forms a featureof the present inven tion; Fig. a is a. broken longitudinal section orsuch duct, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 4rti,Fig. 3; and Figs. 5, 6 and '7 are sectional views, similar to that ofFig. 3, but showing modified forms of the duct in question.

As shown in Fig. 1, the rotary cylinder that constitutes the dryingchamber proper is of usual elongated form, being rotatably mounted onsuitable bearings 2 and 3 adj acent its respective ends. Such cylinderinclines slightly from the horizontal so that material supplied to itsinterior at the higher end, e. g. the left, as shown in Fig. 1, willgradually move under the influence of gravity towards the opposite endas the cylinder is rotated. Any suitable form of feed device may ofcourse be employed to supply the material to such first mentioned,

end of the cylinder, a screw conveyor a being shown by way ofillustration. It will be understood that save for such feed device, theend in question is otherwise closed, as by means of a fixed head 5,while the opposite end is connected with a closed chamber 6 adapted toreceive the material as it is discharged from such end. For rotating thecylinder an annular gear 7 is enteriorly attached thereto, preferably atthe front end, such gear being driven "from a suitable pinion 8 as neednot be further described-i Substantially the entire portion of thecylinder lying between the bearings 2 and 3 is located within the wallsof a heating chamber 10, the detailed construction of which likewise isnot of present interest, such ch amber being shown, byway ofillustration, as being heated by means of a grate ll-located at the endadjacent the forward or upper end of the cylinder, while a flue 12connected with the opposite end of the chamber serves to conduct thesmoke and gases of combustion a vay therefrom after such gases havecirculated around the cylinder. A series ot longitudinally extendingribs 13. secured to the inner wall of the vlindcr, is provided to keepthe n'iaterial iroin collecting in the bottom.

Extending longitudinally oi a cylinder, pret'eral'ih all of its length,and preferably lying in the upper portion thereof, is a pipe or duct lt. One end of this duct is supported in the stationary head at theforward end of the cylinder, while the other end of said duct issupported in the housing (3 at its lower end oi the cylindr when saidduct extends the entire lei 5th of the cylinder as shown in Fig. 1. Suchduct, in other words, is supported independently of the cylinder and isstationary relatively thereto. A fan 15, or equivalent n'icans torproducing the suction within said duet ll, is con nected with theforward end of the la. and such duct is pro 'ided in that portion whichlies within the cylinder witl a series of openings 16. The suctionproduced by fan 15, as aforesaid, will accordingly he cts from theinsuch openthence dist'ective to draw 'apors or ase tcrior of thecylinder through ings 16 into the duct and charge them.

The number of openins; spacing, thereof, may he particular use to whichthe drier is being put. Furthermore, means may he provided to 'ary thesize of the openings, either he size of all such openings simultaneouslyor of ditl'ercnt openings or group of openings independently of theothers. Preferably the duct 1% will he of the rectangular cross-scctionshown in Figs. 2 and 3, with one of its longer dimensions disposedrertically, and the openings 16 will he formed in the downwardlydirected sides of the duct. For the puroose of regulating; suchopenings. slides 17 will he sccuret. against the inner races of the samewalls, respectively, such ocs having openings corresponding with tieopenings 16 so that the latter may he left entirely unohstructed in oneposition oi the slides. hut by moving the latter longitudinally of thewalls against which they rest, the openings 16 may be more or lessco1ngletely closed. Any suitable means ina he, of course. provided foroperating the slides, the means shown comprising a handled rod 18 at theforward end of the duct that is attached to each one of the slides.

The form of the duct 16 may he varied rithoul; departing 'ZGJD. thespirit of the invention. Thus, in F 5, I show a duct. ll of similarrectangular cross-section and Similarly disposed. However, the upperwalls of the duct are formed with overhanging extensions 20 that serveto protect the openings ill in the lower valls against the entrance ofdust or ine material 'lron'i the cylinder. In Fig. (3, a duct 22 ofcircular cross-section is shown, the openings :23 there- I rolaiahle tand adaplcrwcd in cro.-;s-s.-ction. while the louver parti I1 is angularso as to present two inclined walls similar to the lO'i'fOl' w; lls olthe first described duct 16. As before, the openings I will preferablylZO formed in such inclined walls since su h dust as is produced in therotation oi the cylinder will have that much less tendency to enter theduct. ln any event, the dusting produced in the ope! zz-lioa o1 thedrier will he greatly lessened due to the reduction in the velocity ofthe currents drawn ll1l0l""fll the several openings in the duct 16, orits equivalent, as compared with the base where the entire current oiair or gas is drawn len 'thwise through the cylinder. Such currents asan produced will furthermore he transverse of the axis ol the cylinderand hf. sh din the openings in the duct, the dust .l in 1211 e part hereturned to the hodj. ol natcrial in the cylinder instead of hein gdrawn oli". Finally. by providing dilli'ercntsizing or spacing of theopenings in the duct lengtliv.'is-:, thereof, as well as by providingfor the :djustinent of the size of such opciings. the rate at which thegases are withdrawn from dil'lerent portions ol the cylindcfs interiormay be exactly regulated to suit conditions. Thus, ohviousy where theoperation is a simple drying one. moisture or water vapor being expelledfrom the material, the volume of such vapor will ordinarily he muchgreater in the initial stage of dry-in" i.

I "-77 at the upper end of the cylindcr, than in the linal stage wherethe material is heated niost higlny in order to drive ol' rho lasttraces of inoisluik. lly incans o in improved ('(HlrlllltilO'Q. i an:enabled to vary the suction in such dillereut portions ol the cylinderas to talcc are of the moisture present, and a vcrv small amount ofsuction n'iay he :tiuuul suuicicnt in the liual stage which is the onewhere dusting is, i' culll'tjl, iuost liable to occur.

In order to prevent COl'KlQHSHllOII o? iuois turn in or on the duct, thelatler may lasuitahly insulated, as for I'll niple with asbestos oriaguesia. 'ith the same ohjecl; in view, i. e., the prevention ofcondensation, a certain amount of preheated air may hc introduced intothe duct and mixed with the vapors. thereby maintaining the latter at ateinperatue above that at which condensation would occur. The sourcefrom which such preheated air is obtained is a matter of inditl'erence,but, as shown in Fig.

inter-- the following claims or the equivalent of such stateo steps ormeans be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In a method of abstracting the vapors or gases arising from materialbeing heated in a rotary cylinder, the step which consists inWithdrawing part or all of such vapors or gases transversely oi the axisof such cylinder and in dilierent amounts at different pointslongitudinally of such axis.

2. In a method of abstracting the vapors or gases arising irom materialbeing heated in a rotary cylinder, the steps which consist inWithdrawing part or all of such vapors or gases tran versely of the axisof such cylinder, and supplying a current of preheated air into whichsuch vapors or gases are thus withdrawn.

3. in a method of abstracting the vapors or gases arising from materialbeing heated in a rotary cylinder, the steps which consist inWithdrawing part or all of such vapors or gases transversely of the axisof such cylinder and in different amounts at different pointslongitudinally of such axis, and supplying a current of preheated airinto which such vapors or gases are thus Withdrawn.

4L. In mechanism or the character described, the con'ibination of aheating chamber; a rotary cylinder located therein; and means forabstracting the vapors or gases that arise from material being treatedin said cylinder, said means including a rel atively stationary ductextending longitudinally of said cylinder adjacent the upper Wallthereof and provided with a series of shielded spaced openings.

5. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a heatingchamber; a rotary cylinder located therein; and

6. In mechanism of the character described, tic combination or a heatingchainher; a rotary cylinder located therein; and means for abstractingthe vapors or gases that arise from material being treated in saidcylinder, said means including a relatively sta ionary duct extendinglongitudinally of said cylinder adjacent the upper Wall thereof andprovided With series of spaced openings of adjustable size.

7. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a heatingchamher;- a rotary cylinder located therein; and means for abstractingthe vapors or gases that arise from material being treated in saidcylinder, said means including a relatively stationary duct extendinglongitudinally of said cylinder adjacent the upper Wall thereof, theunder side of said duct comprising angularly related Walls each providedwith a series of spaced openings.

8.111 mechanism of the character described, the combination of a heatingchamher; a rotary cylinder located therein; and means for abstractingthe vapors or gases that arise from material being treated in saidcylinder, said means including a relatively stationary duct extendinglongitudinally 0]": said cylinder adjacent the upper Wall thereof, theunder side of said duct comprising angularly related Walls each providedwith a series of spaced openings, and a slide cooperative with each suchwall adapted to adjust the size of the openings therein;

9.1n mechanism of the character described, the combination of a heatingchamber; a rotary cylinder located therein; and means for abstractingthe vapors or gases that arise from material being treated in saidcylinder, said means including a rel atively stationary duct extendinginto said cylinder, and connections for supplying preheated gases tosaid duct.

Signed by me, this 23rd day of October,

SAMUEL GER-TE.

